Industrial B2B Video Marketing Trends

Forrester Research called video marketing “the ultimate medium to communicate with customers and prospects alike.” We’ve previously discussed the merits and benefits of video marketing for B2Bs and its popularity has only grown. While it is becoming better known in industrial circles that video content marketing is a valuable tactic to reach buyers effectively, B2Bs often feel intimidated at the thought of creating video. Following are some tips and guidelines to help you.

Seeing Versus Reading

 Brand recognition certainly helps influence purchases in the industrial sector. But what if one of your products (or services) is newer technology? Explaining the features – advantages – and benefits in words will convince some to look further, but there is no substitute for seeing something in action rather than reading about it. Your video can confirm what is read in a much shorter time, making it an excellent option for B2B purchasers with little time to shop around.

How can you create an amazing video?

2. Listen to what your buyers want. Do they want the longest lasting product at the best price? Are they looking for state of the art technology? Show how yours meet their demands.
3. Don’t say it, show it. If your product does something amazing, don’t have someone talking about it. Show your product in action with an expert explaining what is happening.
4. Educate about your product. Ofcourse it has to meet the basic needs of the end-user. Is there more? Does it come with a great guarantee? Has it been tested and proven to reduce maintenance costs? Do you have calculations showing actual ROI? What else about the product purchase will add value to the customer? All of this can be incorporated into the video.

Get Specific

When we say video marketing, we’re not talking about a stock whiteboard animation with some text and stick figures. We mean actually showing off your assets in a meaningful and easy to understand way. Here are a few ideas:

• Give a tour of your facility – Show your manufacturing area, vehicles, finished products, etc. to give the viewer an exact picture of what to expect when doing business with you.
• Interview an expert – Have a standout employee who really knows his or her stuff? Interview them to get an easy, yet accessible video that can really pay off. These can be especially beneficial when detailing a real life problem in your industry and how you were able to solve it.
• Interview a customer – Many B2Bs have a great working relationship with their buyers. If so, why not politely ask them to film a video explaining how you were crucial in solving their problems?
• Day in the life – If your company tends to do the same task or make the same product over and over, show the audience how. You can do so without revealing any company secrets while showing your confidence in meeting challenges. The details in a day to day manufacturing setting can actually be presented in a dramatic way that is interesting and even entertaining if done well.
• Side by side comparison – Is your product new or improved technology? Show how by having actual technicians work with your product along with the “leading competitor.” This can pay off big when done correctly.

 Do Some Research

Hit the web and look for a few great B2B videos, even if they aren’t in your industry. They can be in an entirely different one and still have something relevant to say. For example, Health Catalyst does a great job of evoking emotion with their videos. The point is to find a video with a style that inspires you – then translate it to your business.

 Create a How-To or Tutorial

Do your customers need help choosing, installing, or maintaining a product? Show them how to do routine tasks and checks in a simple video. Cisco does it all the time, and it is one of the most popular B2B channels on YouTube.

Don’t Forget Social  Media

We all love YouTube, but it is by no means the only way to go. Many professional sites like LinkedIn will let you embed a video, as do others. You can also embed these videos on your own website. Links and embeds to videos can also be added to email campaigns. Be sure to request a like, review, or share!

The Lowdown on Video vs. Traditional

A recent study by Vidyard showed some interesting results comparing video marketing to more traditional marketing tactics. One of the highlights was the finding that companies who used video marketing grew revenue 49% faster than those who didn’t. Other interesting findings include an overall 27% higher click through rate and 34% higher conversion rate compared to those who didn’t use video marketing. Video users were also shown to receive 41% more traffic to their website than than sites that did not contain video content.

BONUS: KNOW THE FACTS ON B2B VIDEO CONTENT MARKETING

Still don’t believe in the importance of videos? Check out these incredible stats:

• The average person spends 10 minutes on YouTube per day.
• In the last two years, video ad spending went up 67% in the U.S.
• Videos on landing pages can increase conversions by up to 86%.
• Videos can be up to 5 times more effective than banner ads.
• Video posting via social media can increase the number of shares ten fold.
• 73% of customers say they are more likely to make a purchase after watching a video.
• A 1% increase in active videos can return revenue of $13,000 per month.

You can see the full infographic on “127 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Video Marketing” here: Website Builder UK

Conclusion on B2B Video Content Marketing

In short, video seems to continue to be a hot trend in B2B marketing. We believe that with an effective, expertly shot video or two, your company could see a marked ROI. If would like to learn more about video and other marketing for your industrial business, contact us to see how we can help.